An old dilemma Awoken: Which came first: chicken or egg?
Liaoning Province
in China
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With the modern approach to a different aspects of design it is often unclear do we design for pleasure and prestige, putting human needs and requirements in service to pure aesthetic outcome?
Do we in Landscape and Garden Design, forget sometimes that the plants are the first and most important reason we started to design the gardens in the first place?
So, let’s get back to the basics: let’s talk about plants. Idea behind this new section on our web pages is to talk about some interesting, outstanding and beautiful plants, ones that we need to know more about, ones we can cleverly incorporate in our garden designs, and ones that are just so extraordinary interesting that we feel we want to know more about them.
In this sense, what best a way to start the section if not with the first flower on Earth?
Well, maybe not first, but by all means probably the oldest known flower, introduced to us through fossilized remains. Like a story frozen in time.
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In 2002, scientists in northeast China in Liaoning Province discovered a fossilized flower that blossomed about 125 million years ago.
Called "the mother of all flowers,” Archaefructus sinensis resembles the modern water lily. Although it had no petals, this ancient flower had closed fruits that protected the seeds inside.
This evolutionary leap separated flowering plants from other plants and probably led to their great success.
This exhilarating finding includes all parts of the plant and represents an entirely new, but now extinct, family.
Furthermore, it may indicate that flowering plants originated in shallow water habitats flourishing alongside dinosaurs!
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Fosilised Archaefructus
liaoningensis
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What do we know about this plant?
Standing 51 cm (20 in) tall, the plant had thin stems that extended above the surface of the water. The seeds probably fell into the water and germinated near shore.
In its scientific classification, this ancient plant may be close to the Order: Nymphaeales.
Nymphaeales is a botanical name at the rank of order. When recognized, it includes water lilies and sometimes-other aquatic plants.
The water-lily starts and slides
Upon the level in little puffs of wind,
Tho' anchor'd to the bottom.
- Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Princess (IV, l. 236)
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Illustration by:
Karina Simons
and David Dilcher
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Nymphaea odorata,
Autor: Ivan Tortuga
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Among the most used Water lilies
in
our ponds are:
Nymphaea odorata
Nymphaeacultivar: 'Marliacea
Nymphaeacultivar: 'Gonnere'
We are going to talk a little more about one of
the prominent Archaefructus sinensis‘s descendant:
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Water lily
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Nympheales
Family: Nympheaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
Cultivar: 'Gonnere'
Nymphaeacultivar: 'Gonnere' is honored an Award of Garden Merit (AGM), for plants of outstanding excellence. Gonnere' has bronze young leaves, and white, fragrant flowers. This Lily variety is perfect for medium-sized and large ponds. It has the ability to survive the hardest winter weather with its rhizomes safely below the level of the ice. All varieties need still water and a sunny position, with room to spread.
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Nymphaeacultivar
'Gonnere'
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Water lily
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A water lily has been loved by Egyptians for a long time. It has been Egypt's national flower for more then 4000 years, and was considered the "God of the Resurrection.” Remnants of flower picture depicting blue and white water lily have been found in the tomb of Ramses II (ca. B.C. 13th century).
It can still be seen anywhere on the river Nile, especially the "blue water lily.” Most of the Arab countries have followed Egypt's custom of adopting a water lily as the national flower.
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Another remarkable Water lily
is Victoria
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Nympheales
Family: Nympheaceae
Genus: Victoria
The species of this classification have very large leaves that float on the water's surface, the most well known and largest, Victoria amazonica, has a leaf that is up to 3 m in diameter on a stalk 7–8 m in length. Victoria is named after Queen Victoria.
Victoria amazonica was once called Victoria regia, but the species name was superseded - although in Brazil it is still called that way.
The leaves of Victorian water lily can be more than 2m (7ft) across, about the same area as a table tennis table.They are strong enough for a child to sit upon it without sinking.
Victoria amazonica is native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River basin, such as oxbow lakes and bayous. It is depicted in theGuyanese coat of arms.
The flowers are white the first night they are open and become pink the second night. They are up to 40 cm in diameter, and are pollinated by beetles.
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Victoria
Amazonica
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Leaves of Victoria Lilly
Flower of the Victoria Lilly
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“The body and mind are cooled and soothed, by the touchstone of Truth. This is the true mark of wisdom that one remains detached, like the water lily, or the lotus upon the water.”
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Quotes*
* The Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib or Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book, or scriptures, of the Sikhs.
It is revered as an eternal Guru, a sacred conduit for wisdom and guidance. |
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